If we’re being 100% honest, things are getting intense scary with the coronavirus mayhem. If you’re feeling worried or overwhelmed, I want you to know that there are actionable measures you can take to keep yourself and your family safe during this time.

While we don’t know a lot about this new disease, the facts we do have show that are that people who are already healthy have a better chance of fighting it. Which means this is the perfect time to be proactive about your health.

The basics — washing your hands, eating healthy, moving your body — are going to help you stay healthy right now. They’re going to build your immune system and equip you to handle this virus.

If you want to start working on these five habits then you should join me for my 14-day spring challenge starting on March 23. This challenge is a perfect, cost-effective way to introduce healthy eating and living in your life. Plus you can teach these skills to your family to keep them safe and healthy too!

Eat foods that support your immune system

Let’s start with a healthy diet! Eating the right foods is the best place to start when you want to lose weight and build your immune system!

The first thing you can do is to incorporate more whole foods into your diet! Whole foods provide the body with more vitamins and essential nutrients than processed foods. These nutrients can help boost your immune system as well as your energy.

Whole grains

Not only are whole grains better for your waistline than refined carbs, but whole grains have been proved to boost your immune system! Try adding a few of these into your diet.

Oats
Quinoa
Barley
Amaranth

Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are chocked full of essential vitamins and minerals that will help improve your immune system. Make sure you’re getting plenty of fruits and veggies!

Citrus fruit
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale)
Kiwi
Papaya
Garlic

Dairy

As long as you don’t have allergies or sensitivities to dairy products, then you can include them in your diet. Greek yogurt is a great choice because it has live, active cultures that can help with gut health. Just avoid overly processed yogurts that have a lot of sugar.

Meat & fish

Protein is a very critical part of a balanced diet! You will want to incorporate a mix of lean meats with fish, which is high in Omega 3s.

Chicken
Turkey
Salmon
Shellfish

Spices & nuts

Spices, nuts and seeds are great at fighting infections, reducing inflammation and even lowering blood pressure.

Turmeric
Ginger
Almonds
Sunflower seeds

Stay active

Movement is a critical part of overall health. While the coronavirus is spreading, you may want to avoid going to the gym, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work out.

There are hundreds of online workouts available for free! You can go for walks or ride your bike. Do whatever type of workout makes you happy! Working out shouldn’t be a chore. If it is you’ll be less likely to keep it up, so find something you love and stick to it!

It’s recommended that you workout for 30 mins at least 3–5 times a week. If you can’t do that right now, that’s ok! Work your way up to that and then exceed it! I’ll be talking about staying active in my Busy Mamas Get Fit Challenge too! If you need ideas on how to start moving, then join us for that challenge!

Another benefit of working out is that it helps reduce stress! I know that with all the misinformation online it can seem a lot scarier than it is. When the panic starts to hit, move your body! Even if that means turning on your favorite song and dancing in the kitchen!

Get enough sleep

Sleep is so, so important for a healthy life. Our bodies work hard for 12+ hours a day, so we need to let them have downtime to rest and repair.

Not only can a lack of sleep leave you more susceptible to getting sick, but it can also make it harder to get better!

According to the Mayo Clinic, “During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you’re under stress. Sleep deprivation may decrease production of these protective cytokines. In addition, infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you don’t get enough sleep.”

If you’re working from home during quarantine periods don’t sacrifice your sleep for work! Take care of yourself by sticking to your normal schedule or improve your sleep by going to bed earlier! If you have trouble getting to bed on time, I have tips on my Instagram!

Take care of your mental health

Even if you and your family don’t actually get the coronavirus, you will probably experience stress due to it. Mental health plays a huge part in overall health and you need to have tools to deal with the stress, especially if you can’t leave your house.

Journal

Over the last few years, I have found journaling to be the best way to deal with stress and anxiety. When you take time to journal, you’re forced to examine what you’re feeling, express it and even possibly find a solution to your problems.

Meditate or breathe

If you struggle with obsessing over the stress, then meditation is a great way to slow down the thoughts and reset yourself. Meditating can be intimidating if you’re new to it, ut you can take it in stages.

First, focus on your breath — especially if you’re hyperventilating. Lay down and place your right hand over your heart and your left hand on your stomach. When you inhale feel your abdomen expand and then feel it release as you exhale. Do this until you feel calm.

You can even turn on music that relaxes you and listen to that until you feel better! Meditation is flexible so make it work for you.

Stay informed

Knowledge is power, and if you’re worried about the coronavirus, the best thing you can do is to educate yourself. What’s important here is that you stay informed without obsessing over it.

Don’t get your news from social media. You don’t need to take on the opinions of other people mixed with the news. Instead, go to verifiable sources and learn from those. Avoid opinion stories, and just get facts.

As we learn more about the virus, there will be better information. Stay up to date, but limit yourself if you need to! There’s no need to be constantly consuming information.

Keep your weight under control

Experts are predicting that obesity, cardiovascular issues and pulmonary issues could be huge factors in coronavirus spread in America. If you are overweight, you don’t need to be scared or feel guilty. When we know better we can do better and now that you know better and have the time to do better, you can take action!

That being said, fad diets, weight loss pills or other quick fixes aren’t going to be helpful. You need to find a system that will help you lose weight without compromising your overall health! The best way to do that is through a healthy, balanced diet and exercise!

The goal here isn’t to lose weight as fast as you can. The goal is to improve your overall health so that your body can function at its highest levels and defend against disease! Don’t take shortcuts this time. Use a proven system that will help you create habits that will help you now and later!

If you need help implementing these habits, then join me on my Busy Mams Get Fit 14-day Spring Challenge. I’ll give you the tools you need to keep your family healthy during this time!

5 Easy ways to protect your family from getting sick during the coronavirus